Embracing Resilience and Transformation - A Diversifying Vet's Point of View

- By Dr Alena Gadoury BScN BVSc (First Class Honours) Alena is a Canadian vet who qualified from the University of Sydney in 2013. She’s experienced several careers looking after all creatures big and small and humans young and old. Alena is currently a National Sales Specialist for ProVet- Veterinary instrumentation supporting her colleagues throughout Australia. She is also a veterinarian and is one of the administrators and hosts for the Facebook group Vets: Stay, Go, Diversify – Down Under!

The Journey “I think that one of the most difficult things in life is realizing you are not where you wanted to be or feeling some sort of dissatisfaction with where you are. It’s difficult because there is no way to know if the next move will be worse or better. ” In saying that, had you asked me when I was a first year vet student if I was going ever divert from the profession, I would have thought you were mad for thinking that was an option. We all know the vet degree isn’t for the light hearted or for those that can accept “failure”. It is a competitive, elite position which we work incredibly hard and sacrifice a lot to achieve. I was once a registered nurse and then made the switch to become a vet. Throughout my veterinary career I got the pleasure to work in all different realms of the profession including exotic and wildlife medicine, small animals, mixed practice, and emergency medicine. I have also represented associations, helped run a global conference, volunteer locally and overseas, and been involved in publications. I was a yes women and any task or opportunity that came my way, I took it! Although this led to many one in a lifetime experiences, it also came with a price and the 5 year itch took over like a bad rash. This wasn’t the first time I have found myself stuck…throughout life, there have been many ups and downs both personally and professionally. What I have come to realize is that these experiences have allowed me to grow, build resilience and develop the skills to transform life. Be Brave Having fought so hard to get into vet school, let alone complete it, I would never think that I would end up dissatisfied with clinical work. Over the years I have learnt that what we expected life to look like when we grow up isn’t necessarily where we ended up…and that’s OKAY! There is always time for change. I believe that the expectation of ourselves and our successes is only truly driven by ourselves. So guess what, if what you did doesn’t work – you get to try something else.

Like Henry Ford once said “If you’ve always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got”. What if we feel stuck? Or don’t know how we feel? Self-reflection is a great way to build resilience. It strengthens are awareness of the situation which fosters resilience. There are many ways to do this but I find journaling is one of the most helpful ways. Instead of thinking about the problem and having it ruminate around in my head, putting it down on paper makes me see the problem in a different lens. Other ways are talking to others that you trust. We sometimes think that we are the only ones feeling this way – but when you reach out to others, you’ll often find they struggle with similar situations. This can be very validating. Therapist are also good people to talk to as well! I also define the situation. I look at who, what, why, when, how. Who’s involved, what is the problem, what am I feeling (is it emotional or physiological or both), why am I feeling this way, when did it start (is it temporary or ongoing), how would I like the situation resolved. Be brave and make the change if things don’t feel right. It’s true when they say that the first step to solving the problem is admitting you have one! Accountability is my number 1 value- Owning it is brave. Owning it builds resilience. You Have Value…You Have Worth Knowing what your values are is life changing! I encourage everyone to do it. It took me weeks of reflecting on who I was, what made me happy, what I was proud of, what made me angry, and all the many words associated with those thoughts to come up with my core values. I challenge you to do the same. I did this before looking at a new career…why? Because if I was going to get a job that worked for me, it had to aligned with my values. Also, we often see ourselves in one lens of a career. Many of my colleagues say “ but I am just a vet”…. WHAT?!? All of you reading this know vets have so many other skills.

Let’s break it down I Am….

• A leader

• A manager

• A marketer

• good at selling services

• An educator

• Adaptable in my communication methods– I am able to talk with a specialist, my colleagues, and the general public

• A quick learner

• A problem solver

• Quick thinker

• Someone who can deal with conflict or difficult situations

• A problem solver

• Someone who has a special interest in…

• Experienced in medicine, surgery, medical devices, pathology…etc

And the list goes on and on! Unfortunately, many of us don’t go for the job because we think we don’t have what it takes (see Dr Chongs – The imposter syndrome – Don’t fear the job description). Write down your skills and see what is actually transferable. I can guarantee that whatever the job you may be going for next, even if you’re changing careers, you’ll have some skills that related to it. Most importantly be sure to know your value and worth. DO NOT undersell yourself. Stay Curious After making the decision to step away from clinic work, I explored many different roles. Medical devices seems to fit with the lifestyle I wanted. Don’t get me wrong, there were definitely some challenges and I had to change my mindset from directly helping animals to helping vets help animals. But because I kept searching for a company that aligned with my values, I am the happiest I have ever been. As I continue to stumble forward, I am learning new skills along the way. Many outsiders have said things like I’ve thrown away my vet degree or that I am no longer a vet….WHAT?!? Just because I have diversified into a none clinical role does not take away my many years of hard work or all the humans and animal lives I’ve saved. I am still a nurse. I am still a vet. Also, I can continue to volunteer as a veterinarian with animals and so I feel I get the best of all worlds. I stay up to date with the latest methodologies and medicine. And because of my new lifestyle, I have the time and energy to learn things outside of the vet world too! Don’t let the perception of others inhibit your motivation to change. “When life isn’t feeling the way it should, you’re the only one that can change it. Put your hand up for things you want to do…even if you don’t know how to do them. If the willingness to do it is there, you will learn. ” Life can be tough and things don’t always go our way…I wholeheartedly get it. Be brave, embrace the fall, know your value and worth, and continue to stay curious. I would love to hear about your triumphs and disasters and we can ride the rollercoaster of life together.

Contact me via LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/alena-felkai-gadoury-30861882/ or via Facebook – search Alena Gadoury or Vets Stay Go Diversify – Down Under